Auckland Comedy Theater Offers $42 Pass for 60 Shows

Laughter might be exactly what people need right now, and one Auckland theater is making sure cost isn't the barrier.

The Covert Theatre in Ponsonby has launched a season pass for just $42 that gives buyers unlimited entry to all Friday and Saturday improv shows from September through December. That's potentially more than 60 performances for less than the cost of two regular tickets.

Wade Jackson, the theater's artistic director, says the decision came from watching community members struggle during the cost-of-living crisis. "People are just struggling. They aren't spending as much money," Jackson says. "When times are tough, you actually need to laugh and connect more."

The timing feels right for a theater that learned hard lessons about timing. Jackson opened the venue in March 2020, right as COVID-19 shut down the world. "They say the essence of comedy is timing, and boy, did I nail it by opening at the wrong time," he says with characteristic humor.

A single Friday or Saturday show normally costs $32. Stay for the second show and it's another $10, totaling $42 for one night. "If you just come once during the spring season, you've made your money back," Jackson explains. "If you come twice, you're winning."

The theater specializes in three types of improvisation, from short form sketches to full-length musical theater where songs and music are created on the spot. Their newest show recreates the Regency period with full costumes, all completely unscripted. And for the audience-participation shy, Jackson offers reassurance: "We haven't done that for over a decade. They're safe in their seat."

The Ripple Effect

The Covert Theatre operates as a charitable trust with a mission to bring fun and vibrancy into the community. By making live entertainment accessible during economic hardship, they're creating space for people to gather, connect, and remember what it feels like to laugh together. The pricing even carries meaning, a nod to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, where 42 is "the answer to life, the universe and everything."

When others suggested charging more, Jackson held firm: "Life is to connect and laugh."